Automatic grain weigher



(No Model.) v ZShBetS-Shet L E. C. WILEY.

- AUTOMATIC GRAIN WBIGHER.

No. 877,417. Patented Feb.. 7, 1888.

Je w all. 1

(No Model.) 2 sheets-sheet 2.

E. o. WILEY.

' AUTOMATIC 'GRAIN WEIGHER. I

NQ. 377,417. n Patented Peb. 7, l888; y

UNITED STATES PATENT OEFICE. i

EDGAR CLARENCE WILEY, 0E INDEPENDENCE, VIRGINIA.

AuroMA-rlc GRAIN-WEIGHER. f'

SPE-CIFICA'JLION forming part of Letters Patent No. 377,417, datedFebruary 7 ,1888."

' Application filed October21, 1887. Serial No. 252,996. (No model.) y i.To aZZ whom, it mwy'concerm Be it known that I, EDGAR CLARENCE WILEY, acitizen of the United States, resid- Ing at Independence, in thecountyof Grayson and State of Virginia, have invented a,Y

consists in the peculiar/construction and combination of devices, thatwill be more fully set forth hereinafter,and particularly pointed out inthe claims.

In the -drawings, Figure 1 isa side elevation of a grain-weighingmachine embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional viewof the same. Fig. 3 is a top plan view. Fig. 4 is a horizontalsectiontaken on the line ma' of Fig. 1.

A represents a tripod comprising the legs B and C and the cap D,attached to the upper ends of the legs. On the said cap is secured across-bar, E, vprovided at its extremities with .vertical openings F.'In the center of the cap is a. vertical opening,` Gr.

H represents a curved arm which connects the two legsk B and extendsinwardly to a point in line with the center of the cap D, and isprovided with a Vertical opening, I.

K represents a y vertically-'movable` shaft which has its lower endjournaled in the opening I, and is journaled near its'upper endr in theopening G. Fitted on the upper end of the said shaft K is a collar, L,which bears upon the upper side of the cap D, and in which the shaft Kis free to rotate.

move vertically with the shaft K, but that it is prevented from rotatingwith the said shaft by the arms O and the cross-bar E.

` P represents a measuring-head which is pro-` vided with a central hub,R, rigidly secured 0 To the upper side of this collar is attached theeen` to the upperend of shaft K, vertical `partition-boards S, which Y'radiate from the said` hub, and a circular vertical' board, T, which;connects theouterends of the boardsS andl forms the outer sides of themeasu'ringfcom#y partments U, which are formed between the V representsa vertical cylindrical sleeve which is fitted looselyon the lowerportion of boards S. Each of these compartments U corresponds in sizeandshape with the opening, LN in the platform. Y

W, provided with bevel gear-teethj On the upper end of the sleeve V isformed a series of ratchet or clutch teeth, X. 'e n Y represents aspring-arm kwhich hasits outer end attachedto one of the tripodflegs,

B, and has its lower end bearing on the upy per side of the wheel ,W,near4 the center thereof, so as to prevent the said wheel' and thesleeve V from rising 'onthe shaft.

Z represents a horizontal circular disk which is rigidly attached to theshaft'K at a suitable s distance fromthe lower end thereof,` the said. S

disk being arranged above the upper end of the sleeve V. On the lowerside of the said disk, at,

diametrically-opposite points, are formed depending studs A', which areadapted to en? gage the teeth X of the sleeve vwhen the shaftL islowered, as will be hereinafterexplained.

Becesses B are formed inthe outer edge of the i disk Z atdiametrically-opposite points, there being as many of these rece'ssesasthere are; compartments in the head P, and the said recessescorresponding with the boards S in their` relation to the shafty K. y Crepresents a horizontal arm which projects inward from one of thetripod-legs, B, and

is provided on its inner end with a -roller, D. E represents `ahorizontal arm which exa tends outward from the tripod-leg C and isVprovided with suitable bearing-bracketsF,

in which is journaled the horizontal drivingshaft G. `The said shaft maybea'ctuated by any suitable motor, or it may be rotated. by

`means of-a crank, H, as shown. To the inner end of this shaft isrigidly attached a bevelpinion, I', which meshes Withthe'WheelW. Krepresentsa scale-beam which is ful` IOO crumed at a suitable distancelfrom its inner end between a pair of depending arms, L', at the upperend of the tripod or supporting frame. On the said scale-beam is amovable Weight, M. v

N represents a lever which is fulcrumed to the tripod-leg C, near thelower end thereof, and extends under the shaft K, and is provided withan opening in which the lower end of the said shaft is stepped. The freeend of this lever N is connected to the inner end of the scale-beam bymeans of a rod, O', and a link, I, as shown.

R represents a depending handle which is connected to the scale-beam,and by means of which the outer end of the latter may be lowered by handwhen it is desirable to do so.

The operation of my invention is as follows: The scale-beam, by drawingupward on the rod O', causes the free end of the lever N to be normallyelevated, and the said lever moves the shaft K upward, and consequentlyelevates the platform M and the measuring-head T. The weight is adjustedon the scale-beam to the number of pounds whichV constitute the unit ofmeasure or weight. When the invention is adapted to be used inconnection with thrashing-machines, an endless elevator (not shown)isemployed to discharge the grain as it comes from the thrasher into thecompartment U of the measuring-head which is next adjacent to theopening N. When the said compartment has received-the required weight ofgrain, the weight of the platform and of the measuring-headcounterbalances the leverage of the scale-beam, and the said lplatformand measuring-head are thereby caused to descend, and consequently lowerthe shaft K and the leverN and raise the scale-beam K. When the platformis in its normal elevated position, the disk Z is elevated, so that theroller Dengages one of its openings B', and consequently prevents theshaft from rotating; but when the said shaft is lowered by the descentof the platform and measuring-head, as before described, the disk K isalso lowered, thereby Vcausing the roller D to clear the upper side ofthe said disk, and causing the studs A to engage the notches or teeth atthe upper end of the sleeve. The rotation of the shaft G', which, itwill be understood, is normally in constant motion, will be therebyinstantly communicated to the shaft K through the gearwheels W and I',and consequently the measuring-head will be caused to rotate through aportion of a circle on the upper side of the platform M, and therebydischarge the contents of its loaded compartment through the opening Ninto a suitable spout or trough, which delivers the grain into a bag orother suitable receptacle. As the filled compartment moves over theopening N, and thereby becomes discharged of its contents, the nextadjacent compartment moves under the discharge end of the elevator inposition to be filled.

As soon as the grain is discharged from the measuring-head, the latterand the platform become lightened to such an extent that the leverage ofthe scale-beam overcomes their gravity, and consequently the shaft O isimmediately elevated to its former initial position, thereby raising theplatform and measuringhead and causing the roller D to become engagedwith the next adjacent opening B in the disk Z. As the said disk rises,it becomes disconnected from the sleeve G, as will be very readilyunderstood, and thereby leaves the wheel WV free to rotate with theshaft G without turning the shaft K. A

A suitable registering device may be connected to the shaftK in order tokeep a register of the quantity of grain weighed.

In order to adapt the machine for measuring grain accurately, I adjustthe Weight on the scale-beam so as to cause the measuring-compartment ofthe head into which the grain is being poured to become more than levelfull before the scale-beam is overbalanced and the platform andmeasuring-head descend. I also secure to the platform a support, a, towhich is attached an arm, b, that extends inwardly in ahorizontal-direction over the measuringhead, andjust above the latter.By this device when the platform descends and rotation is imparted tothe head the arm b,st.rikes off the excess or surplus grain above thelevel of the upper side of its measuring-head and sweeps Vthe surplus orexcess grain into the next compartment, as will be very readilyunderstood.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. The combination of thetripod or frame having the cap D, the arms L', depending from said cap,and scale-beam fulcrumed to the said arms, the link P at the inner endof the scale-l beam, the lever N', fulcrumed to one of the tripod-legs,the rod O, connecting the free end of said lever to the link P', theverticallymovable platform on the upper side of the cap and having thedischarge-opening, the vertically-movable shaft K, journaled in the capand platform and supported by the lever N',` the revoluble head securedto the upper end of said shaft and resting on the platform, said headhaving the compartments, and the gearing to rotate the shaft when thesame is lowered, substantially as described.

2. The combination of the vertically-movable shaft having the clutch,`the rotating wheel WV, journaled loosely on the said shaft and IOO IIO

having the sleeve adapted to be engaged by the clutch when the shaft islowered, for the purpose set forth, the platform movable vertically withthe shaft and provided with the opening N, means to prevent the saidplatform from rotating, the measuring-head secured to the upper end ofthe shaft, revoluble therewith, arranged on the platform, and having thecompartments U, the scale-beam having the adjustable weight, andconnections between the said scale-beam and the shaft, substantially asdescribed.

'377,411 y V s 3. The combinatifom'in an automatic grainweighingmachine, of the verticallyfmovable platform having the opening N, theverticallyf movable shaft extending through the said platform and havingthe measuring-head secured thereto, the said vhead being provided4 withthe compartments U, the rotating wheel W, journaled loosely on theshaft, the stopdisk Z, rigidly secured to the shaft 'and adapted toengage the wheel W when the shaft is lowered, the sca1e-beam,connections between the same and the shaft to normally elevate the latter, and a detent-roller adapted to engagethe disk when the shaft israised, for the purpose" to` connect the shaft to the said wheel whenthe shaft is lowered, the lever N', supporting the shaft, and thescale-beam connected to the said and theplatformand-measuring-head,substantiallyl as described,

Y 5. The combination ofthe supporting-frame, the vertically-movablecounterbalanced sh aft jouvrnaled therein, the platform having thedislever and adapted to normallyfelevate thesame vcharge-openingsupported on the said shaft and having the guide-arms wherebyv it ispre-A vented fromfrotating, and the measuring-,head f attached totheshaft, revoluble therewith', and having the compartments U,substantially'as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature lin presence of two witnesses.4 Y

\ Y "EDGAR CLARENCE WILEY. Witnesses:

nW. M. WARREN, L. lLUNDY.

